Get a Life
by so-they-say
Summary: Life on the farm isn't living up to what you imagined, you've fallen for a silly carpenter and you might not make it through winter- your perspective (though you're named Aranea (homestuckbunp)) living on Waffle Island. Meant to be sad, maybe I'll cheer it up later?


You took the ferry to a little dollop of land lost in the cerulean oceans- _Waffle Island_, the brochure read in big glossy letters. It seemed like the perfect place to start over. A new beginning. The weather the day of your travel was foreboding but you didn't let it scare you- there wasn't a doubt in your mind that a newly discovered life of farming thousands of miles from home would be right for you.

A few weeks into your new life, however, was more than enough to shake that confidence.

"I'm going to tell you one more time, Daisy." You grumble threateningly in the growing twilight outside of your barn. "Get back inside or you're as good as hamburger!"

Daisy the cow turns her head away, stubbornly chewing on a tuft of wild grass.

You groan in exhaustion.

In the short amount of time that you have been a farmer, you have learned exactly two things: one, that living off of the land isn't quite as easy as the advertisement said it would be, and two, that commanding a cow more than twice as big as yourself to do just about anything is no simple task. After several harvestings you have just enough money to skate by; though you never go to bed full, you aren't trying to sleep with an empty stomach anymore, either. The townspeople have been more than kind to you, sharing their hand-me-down equipment and tools, leftover seeds, clothes, and advice. Without their help and guidance you have an uncomfortable suspicion that you wouldn't have survived your first two months. _What a great way to start out your new career, already in debt!_ You often think that way, mulling over your failures, cynical of everything that you do. Since coming to the island your positive attitude has positively shriveled up and died. This isn't anything like you wished it would be.

Daisy sees that you're lost in thought again, and gives a disapproving moo that startles you back to reality. You reach out a tentative hand to her big furry head, and she snorts in consent.

"Oh, Daisy." You murmur quietly. "What if I'm not cut out for this? Winter's coming and I barely have enough to keep us going now, let alone to save…I can't let you go hungry again."

The cow stares at you with her big brown eyes, uncomprehending but sad because she can tell that you are. For a while you stroke the soft patch between her horns, and the both of you are melancholy. The fight is all but forgotten.

Somewhere down the road drifts the sound of whistling, and the sudden eerie noise causes you to turn your head, wary. It's almost nightfall and not many people walk down this way to begin with; your riverside ranch is its own secluded bit of property a decent distance from town. You picked it for this very reason. So who is meandering up the path? An unfamiliar smell is in the air, and you sniff at it questioningly, now confused. Is that…spinach?

A figure walks out of the darkness, tall, gangly and bandana-headed, and your frown melts into a tiny smile. Of course.

"Hey!" Luke calls to you, waving his free hand as he carries a large dish of something covered in tinfoil. The apprentice carpenter has become a close friend, and you enjoy his childish antics though his enthusiasm can be a little exhausting at times. Since your first week on the island Luke and his father Dale have been nothing but help to you, teaching you better methods for chopping wood and occasionally helping you herd Daisy when she gets into her stubborn moods. Though the other villagers are also kind and friendly, none of them have made a lasting impression on you the way they have.

Patting Daisy on the snout you casually walk to meet Luke on the dirt-road before your cottage, hands on your hips and appraising the platter. "Good to see you, Luke! Don't tell me you've become a chef now, eh?"

Luke grins broadly, his golden eyes bright at your teasing. "Yeah, right!" He scoffs. "We had leftovers and Dad said to give it to you, although he doubts spinach cake is gonna be your favorite. But I'm guessing you don't mind, right?"

You smile back at him, warmed by the gesture. "Of course not, bud. Food is food, I can't be picky. Thanks a bundle."

"You're welcome, Rainy!" You can't help but giggle at the silly nickname he's given you, all because he thought Aranea was too much of a mouthful when you introduced yourself. It didn't help a lot when you mentioned that your name is actually a genus of spider, so proclaimed by your mother who was an entomologist. _"An entomologi-wha?" Luke had frowned. "Okay, so you're named off of a gross bug? No way, that sucks. I'm gonna call you Rainy instead!" _Your first encounter with Luke would have turned some people off, but it made you all the more certain that you wanted this goofy woodworker to be your friend.

"You really didn't have to come all this way, you know." You say in embarrassment. It figures, another person going out of their way to help you out. Because everyone knows you can barely help yourself.

Luke looks a bit hurt, his angular eyebrows scrunching how they always do when he's troubled by something. It's rare to see him this way. "What, you aren't happy to see me?" He asks, scratching at the back of his head.

You flush and shake your head furiously, and Daisy moos in concern. "Of course I am! How could you even think that?" You laugh nervously at his relieved smile, and the both of you relax. "You're such a blockhead sometimes."

"But I'm your blockhead, right?" And as Luke grins, you feel a tiny space in your chest squeeze and your smile turns sad.

"Always." You reply without hesitation. "Now you'd better get home and go to bed. Wouldn't want to look all bag-eyed for Selena tomorrow."

"Oh geez, you're right! I'll see you later then, Rainy, and good luck with your crops!" He turns to start jogging back home, and you can't help but wish you could ask him to stay. You would never have the courage to. And even if you did, why would he when he has a girlfriend as beautiful as Selena? You don't have any of her charm or grace or perfect body. In the end you're just a rather awkward nineteen year old with long knotty hair, skinny legs and a crush on your dearest friend that you're barely brave enough to admit. There isn't a competition at all.

"Bye, Luke." You say shakily to his retreating form. The dark swallows him up, and your left with a cooling spinach cake and a very bewildered cow. "C'mon, Daisy, it's bedtime for you too now. Please don't make this difficult, okay?" And to your surprise she complies, wandering into the barn at a gentle push. For once, it seems, something works out for you.


End file.
